Improvement in machines for twisting and winding fibers



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOMER PARMELEE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR TWISTING AND WINDING FIBERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,258, dated July 10, 1866.

To all 'whom it lmay concern:

Be it-known that I, HOMER PARMELEE, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Machine for Twisting Fibers and Winding them when Twisted; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists of certain mechanism, fully described hereinafter, for twisting hay, flax, hemp, and other fibers into strands and winding the latter on a barrel or spool.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure l is a side view of my improved machine for twisting bers and winding the same when twisted; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a transverse section on the line 1 2, Figs. l and 2; Fig.l 4, a plan View; Fig. 5, a transverse section on the line 3 4, Fig. l; and Fig. 6, a sectional view of the twisting-rollers.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views. p

The frame or permanent portion of the machine consists, in the present instance, of the base A, to which are secured thefront standard, B, and two rear standards, C and C. D is the Jtrough or receptacle for the reception of the bers to be twisted, this trough being secured to the front standard, B.

rIhe trough is open at the front end and on the top, and is closed at the rear, with the eX- ception of a circular opening, a, through which the iibers deposited in the trough pass to the twisting-rollers E and E', the latter being hung to a hollow horizontal shaft, F, in the peculiar manner described hereinafter, and the shaft beingarranged to turn in the standard B, at the rear of which it is furnished with` a pinion, b, gearing into a cog-wheel, d, secured to one end of a shaft, G, which' also turns in the standard B, the opposite end of the shaft 'having a bevel-wheel, c, gearing into a similar wheel, f, on the driving-shaft h, and the latter being furnished with a handle, i, or with a pulley for receiving a driving-belt.

To the face of the wheel d is secured a detachable plate, H, on which are arranged in a circle, at equal distances apart from each other, a number of curved prQjectionS,j,Which engage into the teeth of a cog-wheel, I, the projections being such that on turning the wheel H a rotary motion will be imparted to the said Wheel I, which is arranged to turn on a pin, 7c, the latter serving to connect an arm, J to a bracket, K, secured to the standard B. The wheel I gears into a similar wheel, I, and the latter into a similar wheel,I'/,which gears into the larger wheel L, all these wheels turning on pins secured to the arm J.

To each side of the wheel L is secured a ratchet-like wheel, M, the teeth of which bear upon the coil N of twisted bers on the barrel P, which consists of a tube of thin metal cut longitudinally from end to end, so that it can be expanded in diameter by the heads Q, the tapering portions of which t one into each end of the tube, as best observed on reference to Fig.5. To each head Q is secured a flange, m, and each head is secured to the tube by spring-catches n n, which pass through openings p p.

rIhe barrel, of which the heads form a part, is arranged to turn and traverse to and fro freely on a shaft, R,one end of which rests in a notch in the top of a lever, q, hung to a pin on the standard C, the opposite end resting on a similar lever, q', hung to the standard C. The shaftR is so confined to the two levers that, although it can be readily' raised from the same, it cannot either turn or move to and fro longitudinally. rIlhe lower end of each lever 1 is forked, the forked end of one lever embracing one end and that of the other lever the opposite end of a horizontal lever, S, which is hung, at a point midway between its opposite ends, to a pin on the frame. The movement of this lever S is limited by stops t, which will be referred to hereinafter.

To return to the twisting-rollers E and E', it will be found, on reference to Fig. 6, that each consists of a pin, o, to which is secured a circular block, w, of wood or other suitable material, and in the middle of the latter a cavity, m, is turned. Round this block passes a tube, y, of gum-elastic, which may be split in the middle, as shown. The block w and gum-elastic tube are confined between two plates, 2. One of these rollers, E, is hung to the arms 3 of two levers, 4, (see Figs. l and 4,) and the other roller, E', to the arms 3 of the levers 4', and both levers, 4 and 4', are hung to the end of the revolving' tube F, and the levers are geared together, as seen in Fig. l, so that the inward and outward movements of the two rollers must be simultaneous. i

The levers are connected togther by plates 5, Fig. l, and set-screws 6, the plates being so slotted that the twisting-rollers can be adjusted from or toward each other, and the levers secured after such adjustment.

It should be understood that the rollers are always so situated that a horizontal line drawn through the center of the tubular shaft F will be midway between the centers of the two rollers.

Operation: We will suppose the different parts of the machine to be in the relative position illustrated in the drawings and the revolving' parts to be moving in the direction pointed out by the arrows.

It will be observed that a strand of twisted bers is coiled round the barrel P, and that the bers are being withdrawn from the trough D, twisted by the rollers E and E', and that the strand of twisted fibers passes through the tubular shaft F, over the guide-pulley M', and between the wheels M, to the barrel P.

An attendant stands near the trough D and continues to deposit the bers evenly therein in quantities to suit the size of the strand.

It should be understood that the bers are at liberty to turn round in the trough, and must not be there twistedto any great extent, the twist being imparted to them on passing between the rollers E and E', and in this respect this feature of my machine differs from others in which the bers are so conned as to be twisted before reaching the twisting device.

rPhe manner in which the twist is imparted by the rollers E and E', which revolve each on its own axis and both around the given center represented by the twisted bers, will be readily understood.

The winding is effected as follows: It will be observed, on reference to Fig. 4, that the shaft It, on which the barrel P turns and traverses, occupies an oblique position, or, in other words, it is at an angle to the course taken by the twisted strand, and beyond this angle it cannot be moved, owing to the retention of the lever S by the stops t.

The desired revolving motion is imparted to the barrel by means ofthe ratchet-wheel M and the train of wheels above described, the ratchet-wheel bearing directly on the coil of twisted bers. The oblique position of the barrel causes the strands to be coiled regularly thereon, coil bearing against coil, but no coil rel must traverse the shaft R in the direction of the arrow as the coils increase in number.

. When the layerv of coils on the barrel is completed a cam, R', comes incontact with a pin, R, on a projection on the standard Gf, and the shaft R is consequently moved in the direction pointed out by the arrows,the levers q and q and lever S moving with the shaft until arrested by the stops t, when the shaft R and its barrel will have assumed an angle the reverse of that shown in Fig. 4.

The direction of the barrel along the shaft R is now reversed, and a new layer of coils is gradually wound over the last layer until the cam lt', at the opposite end of the barrel from that previously alluded to, comes in contact with a pin, RH', when the angle of the barrel is again reversed and the winding of a new layer of coils commenced, and this reversal of the angle of the barrel in respect to the direction taken by the twisted strand is continued until as many layers of coils as desired have been wound round the barrel. Y,

The traverse of the strand to the roller will be invariably at the same speed, and the coils will be uniformly laid throughout the different layers, as motion is imparted to the barrel by the action of the wheels M on the circumference of the coil, which circumference must always move at the same speed.

When the coil is complete the machine is stopped, the arm J, with its gearing, elevated and held in an elevated position by a catch, and the barrel and its shaft R removed from their bearings. The shaft is then withdrawn from the barrel, and rst one head, Q, and then the other head removed from the tube P, Fig. 5, this removal being readily effected after pressing the spring-catches a u toward each other. The tube which had been previously expanded by the heads now contracts, and, owing to its reduced diameter, can be readily withdrawn from the coil, after which the heads can be readjusted to the tube P, and the shaft passed through the heads, preparatory to a repetition of the above-described operations.

The surface of each twisting-roller is rendered more yielding in the middle, owing to the cavity x, so that as the bers pass between the rollers they will of themselves form a recess, within which they are conned to a position central with the tubular shaft F.

The speed of the barrel can be readily altered to suit strands of different thickness by removing the wheel H and replacing it with another having a greater or less number of teeth.

The amount of twist imparted to the bers will depend upon the speed with which they pass between the twisting-rollers and the speed at which thehlatter revolve with the shaft F.

It will be seen, on reference to Fig. 4, that the stops R" and R are rendered yielding, each tting into a socket and bearing against a light spring. rlhe object of this is to prevent them from acting as brakes against the end of the barrel when the latter, is in contact with the said pins.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The two rollers E and E', arranged to revolve on their own axes and round a given center, in combination with a trough, D, or its equivalent, for receiving the ber, the whole being arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The rollers E and E', each being composed ot' a block, w, with a central cavity, x, and a tube, y, of gum-elastic or equivalent material, substantially in lthe manner and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of the rollers E and E and the levers 4 and 4J, or their equivalents, whereby the simultaneous inward and outward adjustment of the two rollers is attained.

4. The said rollers E and E' and levers 4 and 4', in combination with the tubular shaft F.

5. The Combination of the barrel for winding the strand of twisted fibers with the Wheels M, thelatter beingarran ged to guide the strand in a direct course, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. rIhe said wheels M and the train of wheels L, I, I', and I, or an)T equivalent train of Wheels, in combination with the arm J.

7. A barrel arranged to revolve on and to traverse longitudinally an axis situated ob. liquely to the course taken by the guided strand, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. The shaft It, on which the barrel turns and traverses, and the levers q and q', or their equivalents, in combination with the cams R on the said barrel, and the stops R and R", the whole being arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.

t). The barrel composed of the tube P, cut longitudinally, and the heads Q Q, On applying which to the tube the latter is expanded, the contraction of the tube taking place on detaching the heads, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOMER PARMELEE.

Witnesses:

JOHN WHITE, W. J. R. DELANEY. 

